49ers set for a Mexico City return as the NFL brings back regular-season games

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers will return to Mexico City to play a regular-season game this season, the NFL said Wednesday.

The date and opponent are yet to be determined, but the game will be played in the renovated Azteca Stadium, which recently was renamed Banorte.

The stadium has been closed for renovations since May 2024 ahead of the 2026 World Cup and will reopen in March with a soccer match between Mexico and Portugal.

The game is the first in a three-year-contract signed by the NFL to bring games to Mexico.

“We are delighted to bring regular-season NFL games back to Mexico City, reaffirming our deep and long-standing connection with fans across the country,” NFL Mexico director General Arturo Olivé said.

The 49ers' last game in Mexico City was in the 2022 season, when they defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 on a Monday night at Estadio Azteca.

The NFL has hosted six regular-season games south of the border since 2005, when San Francisco played against the Cardinals in Mexico City in the NFL’s first international regular-season game.

“We are thrilled to return to Mexico and to play in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in the league,” 49ers CEO Al Guido said. “After two unforgettable experiences in 2005 and 2022 we are excited to reunite with the Mexico faithful.”

According to the NFL office in Mexico, San Francisco is one of the most popular teams in the country alongside the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. Mexico also has a 40 million fan base, the largest outside of the United States.

The 49ers are one of 10 teams with marketing rights in Mexico as part of the NFL's Global Markets Program giving them a chance to build their brand beyond the United States.

The game in Mexico will be the second international one this season for the 49ers, who are set to play the first regular-season game in Australia.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL